Cooperative farming: a case study of the Gambhira collective farming society
- Anand Institute of Rural Mamagement Anand 2012
- 40 p.
Agriculture by small farmers is being rendered increasingly unviable owing to downsizing of land holdings, inept resource deployment, farmers' low. investment capabilities and the adverse effects of terms of trade. The Gambhira Collective Farming Society created with this rationale in 1953, has successfully overcome the problems associated with unviable holdings by means of collective action. The 291 members of the Gambhira Collective Farming Society have been collectively cultivating an area of 526 acres by forming 30 groups of eight to 14 members each. The land and other assets belong to the society and the members, individually, do not have ownership rights either on assets or cultivation decisions. The society undertakes primary tillage, purchase of inputs, irrigation and marketing of produce.
The Managing Committee, in consultation with group leaders, decides on the crop plan to be implemented by respective groups under their group leaders who also happen to be members of these groups. The proceeds obtained from crop production from the land allotted to groups, after meeting all the expenses and contribution towards reserve and development fund, is passed on to the respective group leaders who, in turn, share it with group members in proportion to their labour contribution. Group members receive higher returns by achieving economies of scale, influencing the terms of trade and optimal utilization of resources. Improved incomes have led to members' improved status in society. The collective has overcome free riding, shirking, and opportunism by forming small groups, devising proper mechanisms for sharing work and profits, monitoring and sanctioning of stakeholders at all levels and institutionalizing rules, norms and values. Policy makers have to seriously consider and promote co-operative farming to meet the growing requirements of food production and achieve four per cent growth in agriculture as envisioned from the Tenth Five Year Plan onwards.